Tale from the Orem Recreation Center - The Stepford Spinner

What is it about my spinning class that makes me feel so damn stupid? Is it the fact that my instructor insists on my name being Linda even though I have been telling her it is Cate since February? Does it have something to do with the music selection including Grease Lightning sing alongs then techno rhythms and finally Cat Scratch Fever? Would it be okay if my instructor wasn't panting the words to John Mellencamp's Hurts So Good when we're "climbing a hill"? Would it be less embarassing if she stopped asking me to sing the words because she "knows that I know them"? How could I not know them after listening to them every Tuesday night for the past 5 months? Do we really need to draw attention to the fact that I now know every lyric by heart?

There are these moments during the class when I get this fear that someone I know but not well enough, someone who would judge me like a boy who I once liked and then dumped me or a girl who I always thought was prettier or cooler than me, will walk in and see me. And there I'll be spinning my legs, sweating like Rush Limbaugh in a Guatamalan summer, breathlessly singing the lyrics to Sweet Home Alabama. It's as if I am Jim Cary of a comedic Truman show that people get their kicks from watching me pant, spin, and not go anywhere while singing on demand. There is something so demeaning about taking commands from a woman with hotdog-bangs on a stationary bike. When she asks me to "add on more gear" to what I am already trying to spin I get this inclination to punch her right where her stupid, masochistic Stepford spinning grin is.

But none of this has prevented me from putting in my 50 minutes once a week. And I am pretty sure that this weekly sentence has had something to do with me taking 5 minutes of my 10K a month ago. So really I don't think I'll be giving this habit up too soon. I just hope that Night at the Roxbury songs don't start creeping into my running mixes. Once they do, action will have to be taken.

Texas Americana - Luling

Besides The Watermelon Thump, Luling offers some pretty enriching contributions to the American spirit. Check out these fanciful oil pump jacks. They went dormant for years because they weren't producing what they had been but now those few barrels a day really are adding up with the shortage. And they look so whimsical when you drive past them lining stretches of railroad tracks and fields of hay.

The stars at night...are big and bright!

I'm here in the heart of Texas; and from what I have more or less been told by locals not only will I be priveldged to live in the best dern state in the US (and the world for that matter) but I will be living in the best dern city in the best dern state; of course I am refering to the city of Austin. And damn it! I ought to be mighty proud of it!

One thing I have learned while I've been here is that I can still use terms that I once thought as merely cliche or too stereotypical for Texas like y'all, folks, kin to, mighty fine, yonder ways (more to come I am sure). Another thing to keep in mind is that since this is "big country" every place in this state that has a claim to fame is named "The (famous thing) Country". For example. There is a place with lots of hills in North Austin. Of course, that is called "The Hill Country". If you're driving by a town with lots of cows and make a comment, the local will be sure to take the opportunity to let you know you are driving through "Cattle Country". And so on. Though one of the most valuable things I have learned is that they have a social system set up down here that can bail you out of any poorly timed or potentially offensive comment in a conversation. The secret is that all you need to do is end the conversation with a "Well...God bless ya".

I must say that I am feeling that these Texans are onto something with this whole "Texas Pride" thing. There are truly lots of superior things here. I mean check out the size of this watermelon.

They're pretty tasty, juicy too.

Of course, these pictures were taken in a place called Luling that grows really great watermelon. Indeed, Luling is also known as "Watermelon Country". In fact, they even have a good and proper holiday for the fine fruits grown out here. It's called "The Watermelon Thump". It is supposed to be really something for this town of 5,000. I am only sad that I am going to miss the crowing of the "Watermelon Thump Queen" as Matt and I will not have moved yet.

And my oh my. Smoked BBQ is no joke with these folks. It's really something. Notice the orange hard-hat. I think it's for real. These guys were like maryrs for Americana working with these smoke pits. The thermometer read well over 90 degrees in there.

More to come...

Ends and Begins in the last month's time...

I said "goodbye" to my favorite 1st grade class;

and realized that I actually can love kids under the age of 8.

Also had a picnic goodbye to Jo and Kevin before they left for Wisconssin.

Yep, going to miss them too but I hope to visit them sometime in the Aurora Borealis season.














Last media shift at the library with my dear Betsy.
Thus, last time I will get paid to just talk to my friend for 3 hours...
And Matt and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary
or the happiest year of my life.